Yarn stripe attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines



J an. l7,1939. E. c. MATTHEWS v 2,144,189

YARN STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR SPRING NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 17, 1939. E. c. MATTHEWS YARN STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR SPRING NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNlT sates PATENT OFFICE YARN STRIPE ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR. SPRENG NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES Application December 22, 1936, Serial No. 117,216

12 Claims.

This invention relates'to a yarn stripe attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines.

More specifically, the invention relates to an attachment which is adapted for ready connection with a circular spring needle knitting machine and which is operative through movement of the revolving needle cylinder for positioning a yarn at right angles to the regular knitting yarn feeds and in such relation to certain needles supported in the needle cylinder that the yarn is tied into the knitted fabric through the successive knitting yarn feeds.

A primary object of the present invention is the provision of an attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines for positioning a stripe yarn at right angles to the regular yarn feeds and for effecting movement of the stripe yarn at fixed intervals whereby the stripe yarn will be tied into the fabric being knit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines including a member for supporting a stripe yarn within the circular series of needles and at right angles to the regular yarn feeds, and means for imparting movement to the supporting member in a vertical plane at fixedintervals for alternately positioning the stripe yarn at opposite sides of and back of a needle whereby the stripe yarn will be tied into the fabric being knit by a succeeding yarn feed, and whereby the stripe yarn in the finished fabric will include horizontally spaced vertical runs interconnected by horizontal runs where tied into the fabric, and which horizontal runs will be vertically spaced in accordance with the frequency of the movement imparted to the yarn supporting member.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines which is simple in construction, easy to assemble or disassemble, and which is positive in operation, for providing a yarn stripe in fabric being knit which is attractive in appearance and which is effectively tied in position in the fabric.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for circular spring needle knitting machines for providing yarn stripes in fabric being knit, and which includes certain variable operating means whereby the form. of the stripe may be expeditiously varied.

With these objects in View as well as others that will become. obvious in the course of the following disclosure, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part of same, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of acircular spring needle knitting machine disclosing the connection of a preferred form of my attachment therewith.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section in a plane represented by the line 2--2 in Fig. 1 with cam omitted and the base shown in edge elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, more or less diagrammatic, of the rotatable needle cylinder and showing my attachment in its relation to regular yarn feeds for the knitting machine.

Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive are more or less diagrammatic and are intended to illustrate successive steps in the operation of the attachment. Of these views,

Fig. 4 is an elevation of three needles showing the position of the stripe yarn guide before movement to a position to place the yarn back of a needle.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the needles and portion of knitted fabric shown in Fig. 4, indicating the stripe yarn positioned in the fabric by previous operations.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 4 and indicating a vertical and horizontal movement of the yarn supporting member or guide for positioning the yarn diagonally back of the center needle.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fi 6. i

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 disclosing a further movement of the yarn guide for positioning the yarn back of the center needle.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 8. a

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but indicating three additional regular yarn feeds.

Fig. 11 is a plan View showing a modified form of yarn stripe as would be effected by vertical and horizontal movement of the yarn guide between each two successive regular yarn feeds.

Referring to the drawingsby reference characters, and wherein like characters designate like parts, the letter B designates the base or bed of a circular spring needle knitting machine of usual and well known form and which includes a cylinder C supported by arms A for rotation about the stud or shaft S rigidly supported by the bed B.

Suitably fixed in the cylinder C is the circular series of knitting needles N, and supported adjacent the outer periphery of the cylinder C are the fixed yarn feeding devices F which are of usual and well known construction and which function to place successive feeds of yarn under the beards of the needles.

The present invention comprises an attachment for a circular spring needle knitting machine of the character above briefly described, and comprises a plate [0 which is rigidly and removably secured to the outer face of the cylinder C as by screws II. Rigid with the plate III are L-shaped clips I2 which slidably receive and provide a guide for the vertically opposed edges of a plate I3 which is in face-to-face contact with the plate I0.

Rigidly supported by the plate I3 is a vertically disposed bearing sleeve I4 in which is mounted for vertical reciprocation a rod I5. The rod I5 at the upper end thereof is provided with or formed to provide a yarn guide or positioning member I6 which, as illustrated, is suitably curved and extends between certain needles N terminating in a yarn receiving eye H, which is at all times disposed within the circular series of needles, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

The rod I5 adjacent the lower end thereof is provided with a collar I8 between which and the lower .end of sleeve I4 is disposed a coil spring I9 in surrounding relation to the rod I5, the spring I9 normally urging the rod downward with the yarn guide I6 in engagement with the upper edge of the cylinder C.

Fixed to the plate I0 is a bearing sleeve 20 in which is rotatably journalled a vertically disposed crank 2I the upper or oiT-set'portion of which is operatively disposed between lugs 22 fixed to the plate I3 and the lower end of which is provided with laterally disposed wings 23 and 24 for a purpose later described.

7 The crank 2| is adapted for rotation and is off-set to an extent equal to half the distance between adjacent vertical center lines between the needles, whereby in operation the guide eye I! will be positioned centrally between a pair of needles as indicated in Fig. 1 or centrally between the pair of needles to the leftof the guide as illustrated in Fig. 1, all as hereinafter more fully described.

It is to be further noted that when the crank 2| is in its normal or inoperative position, as indicated in Fig. 1, it acts to resist longitudinal movement of the plate I3, as may be occasioned by the horizontal component of the reaction of the operating cams hereinafter described.

The yarn guide I6 is adapted to support a stripe yarn. Y which passed through the eye I'I,

extends down in front of the cylinder C, adjacent the bottom of which the yarn extends through a guide 25, thence through the eye 26 of a yarn tension spring 21 suitably secured to an arm A adjacent a .yarn supply bobbin 28 suitably supported on a holder 29 projecting from an arm A adjacent the stud S. The purpose of the tension spring 21 is to take up slack in the yarn Y upon return movement of the eye I! after having passed over the top of the needle and also to prevent over-running of the bobbin when yarn is being drawn therefrom in the operation of the attachment. 7

The rod I5is adapted to be vertically raised between adjacent needles N, moved horizontally when the eye I1 is raised above the needles N, after which the rod is returned by the spring I9 in vertical alinement with the center line between the next adjacent needles for positioning the yarn Y in a manner more fully hereinafter described. r

" The means for raising the rod I5 against the action of the spring I 9 includes one or more pairs of stationary earns 36 and 3| suitably supported by the bed B in the circumferential path ,of the rod I5 upon rotation of the cylinder C.

Each of the cams is preferably in the form of an inclined plane as indicated, the rise of which is slightly greater than the length of the needles N for raising the yarn guide eye I! above the tops of the needles, and each cam is provided with a lug 32, 33 for engagement with the crank actuating wings 23 and 24 respectively for moving plate I3 horizontally when the eye I! has been raised above the tops of the needles.

In the operation of my improved attachment, the stripe yarn Y supported on the bobbin 28, is threaded through the spring tension eye 26, thence through the guide 25, carried upwardly in front of the cylinder C, threaded through the guide eye I? of the yarn guide and positioning member I6, after which the end of the yarn Y is secured to the material W being knit between two adjacent needles N.

As the cylinder C rotates, the knitting yarn will be fed under the needle beards by the successive feeding devices F in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, and the stripe yarn Y will be pulled from the bobbin 28 by the movement of the material as it is being knit, thereby carrying the point of attachment of the end of the yarn Y with the fabric being knit away from the needles N, with the stripe yarn extending along and through the fabric in a general direction at right angles to the direction of regular knitting yarn feeds.

When the yarn guide and positioning member I6 is in the position indicated in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5 the stripe yarn Y extends through the guide eye I'I between the needles designated n and n and with the guide eye held at the lower ends of the needles by the spring I9, with the result that the stripe yarn will be laid under the knitted fabric in a straight vertical line, as indicated in Fig. 5, until the guide eye I! is vertically and horizontally moved by a cam, as is about to be described.

Again referring to these Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, wherein the rod I5 is about to be raised by the cam 30 upon rotation of the cylinder C, the yarn guide eye I'I will be raised vertically between the needles n and n as the lower end of rod I5 rides up the surface of cam 36, as is indicated by the vertical dotted line in Fig. 6. Just as the lower end ofrod I5 reaches the short horizontal surface at the upper end of the cam 30 the wing 23 will engage the lug 32 which, upon further movement of rod I5 along the short horizontal surface, will rotate the crank 2I, which in turn, through its engagement with lugs 22, will shift the plate I3 to the left or opposite to the direction of movement of the needles to bring the guide eye I? between the needles n, n above the tops thereof, as is indicated in Fig. 6, with the stripe yarn Y extending diagonally behind the needle n as is clearly indicated in the diagrammatic plan view of Fig. 7.

Immediately after the plate I3 and therewith the rod I5 have been shifted to the left by the crank 2|, as above described, the lower end of the rod I5 leaves the cam 30 upon further rotation of the cylinder C, with the result that the spring I9 immediately returns the rod I5 and yarn guide I6 to their lowest position between the needles n and W, as is indicated in Figs. 8 and 9, with the stripe yarn Y extending horizontally behind the needle n The dotted lines in Fig. 8

indicate the vertical and horizontal movements imparted to the yarn guide eye I! resulting from the cooperating action of the cam 30.

7 Upon further rotation of the cylinder C, whereby the rod I is carried to a position about to engage the second cam 3|, three regular knitting feeds F have successively applied knitting yarns to the needle beards, as is indicated in Fig. 3, and the stripe yarn Y during this further rotation of the cylinder will extendin a vertical line a distance of three regular feeds beyond the position of Fig. 9, as is clearly indicated in Fig Upon the rod l5 engaging the second cam 3|, the yarn guide eye I! will be vertically raised between the needles n and n which, uponv reach-. ing a point above the needle tops, will be shifted to the right by engagement of the wing 24 with the lug 33, after which the spring l9 will return the guideeye ll downwardly in a vertical line between the needles n and n with the yarn laid behind needle n but extending in a direction opposite to that indicated in Fig. 9.

From the foregoing it will be seen that during quiescent periods of the yarn guide It the stripe yarn Y is carried with the fabric being knit in a straight vertical line, and that when the stripe yarn is periodically laid in opposite directions behind the needle n the succeeding regular yarn feed ties in the horizontal stripe yarn strands which interconnect the horizontally spaced vertical strands.

Thus my attachment provides a simple and 7 highly efficient means for working a stripe into fabric being knit on a circular spring needle knitting machine, and as will readily be seen upon inspection of Fig. 10 the stripe presents a highly aesthetic effect due to the alternating horizontally spaced vertical strands interconnected by vertically spaced horizontal strands.

While I have indicated only two or a single pair of cams 30, 3!, additional pairs of cams may be utilized which will not only effect a greater number of points of securement of the stripe yarn with the woven fabric, but will materially change the design of the stripe, as is indicated in Fig. 11, which is the result obtained by utilizing a camv between each two succeeding feeds. It is essential, however, that the cams be arranged in pairs as the yarn guide must be moved alternately to opposite sides of the needle n If desired, the cams may be positioned between each two feeds for producing a stripe according to Fig. 11, and the cams may be so mounted on the bed B as to be capable of being thrown into or out of the path of movement of the lower end of the rod I5 whereby the form of stripe may be readily changed.

While I have disclosed but a single specific embodiment of my invention, nevertheless the same is to be considered as illustrative only and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined in the sub-joined claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting machine including a rotatable cylinder,

a circular series of upright bearded needles sup--' ported by the cylinder, and yarn feed devices at intervals about the periphery of the cylinder; of an attachment comprising a stripe yarn guide eye supported by the cylinder for movement in a vertical plane back of one of the needles, and means operative upon rotation of the cylinder for imparting movement to the guide eye for laying a stripe yarn in position to be tied into the knitted fabric by a succeeding regular yarn feed.

2. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting machine including a rotatable cylinder, upright bearded needles supported by the cylinder, and yarn feed devices at intervals about the periphery of the cylinder; of an attachment comprising a stripe yarn guiding and supporting member mounted on the cylinder for vertical and horizontal movement relative thereto and having a yarn guide eye positioned within the circumferential line of bearded needles, and means operative upon rotation of the cylinder for imparting vertical and horizontal movement to the yarn guiding andsupporting member for placing a stripe yarn back of a needle in a position to be tied into the knitted fabric by a succeeding regular yarn feed.

3. The construction as defined in claim 2, in which the yarn guiding and supporting member is supported for vertical reciprocation by a plate, the plate being mounted on the cylinder for horizontal movement relative thereto.

4. The construction as defined in claim 2, in which the said means comprise cams for imparting vertical movement to the yarn guiding and supporting member and contact means for imparting horizontal movement to the yarn guiding and supporting member.

5. In a knitting machine of the circular spring needle type, the combination of an attachment for working a vertical stripe in a fabric being produced, comprising a yarn guide supported by the rotary needle cylinder of the machine for movement in a vertical plane adjacent a needle, and cam means on the knitting machine for imparting said movement to the yarn guide at intervals to lay a yarn back of a needle and transverse thereto.

6. An attachment for working a vertical stripe in a knitted fabric being produced on a circular spring needle knitting machine comprising a plate for rigid attachment to the rotary cylinder of the knitting machine, a second plate supported by the first plate for horizontal movement, a rod supported by the second plate for vertical movement, a yarn guide carried by the rod and positioned back of a needle of the knitting machine, and stationary means supported by the knitting machine for imparting vertical movement to the rod and horizontal movement to the second plate for moving the yarn guide in a vertical plane from one side to the other of the said needle, whereby a stripe yarn is laid back of the said needle in a position to be tied into the fabric by a succeeding regular feed.

7. An attachment for working a vertical stripe in a fabric as defined in claim 6, in which a crank is supported by the first plate for imparting horizontal movement to the second plate, and in which said stationary means comprises an inclined plane for imparting vertical movement to the rod and a stop adjacent the upper end of the inclined plane for actuating the crank to impart horizontal movement to the second plate when the rod has reached the upward limit of its vertical movement.

8. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting machine including a rotatable cylinder, a circular series of upright bearded needles supported by the cylinder, and yarn feed devices at intervals about the periphery of the cylinder;

of a stripe yarn guiding and positioning eye supported by the cylinder for movement in a vertical plane back of one of the needles of the machine, and cam means disposed between certain of the yarn feed devices for imparting movement to the yarn guiding and positioning eye upon rotation of the cylinder for positioning a 7; stripe yarn back of the needle between successive regular yarn feeds.

9. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting machine comprising a circular series of fixed upright bearded needles; yarn guiding means, means for movably maintaining said guiding means between two of the needles and within the inner confines of said circular series of needles, and means for intermittently shifting said guiding means from one side to the other of one of said two needles.

10. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting'machine comprising a needle cylinder and a series of cylinder needles; a yarn guide, means normally maintaining said yarn guide between a pair of said needles and in contact with the upper edge of said cylinder for guiding a stripe yarn beneath the fabric being knitted, and means for intermittently moving said guide for positioning said yarn transverse to its normal run and above the fabric being knitted.

11. In combination with a circular spring needle knitting machine comprising a circular series of bearded needles; a stripe yarn guide, and 

